In the days that followed Lady De La Ware, touched by the affection
Pocahontas manifested towards her, accompanied her everywhere, to the
wonderful masque written by the poet, Ben Jonson, which was performed at
the Twelfth Night festival, and to the play written by Master Will
Shakespeare that he called "The Tempest," which represented court folk
cast ashore on an island in the western ocean.
Everything was so full of interest that her new life seemed to be
leading her further and further away from the old simple existence of
forest and river. Then came the presentation to the Queen, Anne of
Denmark, consort of James First of England and Sixth of Scotland. Lady
De La Ware had seen that Lady Rebecca's costume suited her dark skin and
hair.
Before coming to the presence chamber there were many halls and
anterooms filled with courtiers and ladies, whose curious glances might
have dismayed any woman who had not grown accustomed to a life at court;
but Pocahontas passed on unconscious of them all.
In the large hall which they entered last, hung with rich tapestries and
furnished with dark oaken chairs and settles covered with royal purple
velvet, a few pages and the Queen's ladies alone kept her company. As
Pocahontas and Lady De La Ware advanced, the Queen motioned every one
else to withdraw to the farther end of the chamber. She curtsied in
return to the obeisances made by Pocahontas and her sponsor, but did not
stretch forth her hand to be kissed as she would have done had she not
considered this stranger before her as a princess of royal blood.
"I thank thee for coming," she said graciously. "I have much desired to
see thee. Captain Smith was right when he reminded me of what our people
owe thee, he most of all."
"He was dear to my people also," answered Pocahontas.
"Hath Your Majesty heard how men speak of Captain Smith in the Colony?"
asked Lady De La Ware. "My brother who is still at Jamestown wrote me
that one of the colonists regretting the great Captain's departure said
of him:
"What shall I say of him but thus we lost him, that in all his
proceedings made justice his first guide, and experience his second,
ever hating baseness, sloth, pride, and indignity more than any dangers;
that never allowed more for himself than his soldiers with him; that
upon no danger would send them where he would not lead them himself;
that would never see us want what he either had or could get us; that
would rather want than borrow, or starve than not pay; that loved
action more than words, and hated falsehood and covetousness more than
death; whose adventures were our lives, and whose loss our death.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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